A new species of Ampharete (Annelida: Ampharetidae) from the West Shetland shelf (NE Atlantic Ocean), with two updated keys to the species of the genus in North Atlantic waters

Ampharete oculicirrata sp. nov. (Annelida: Ampharetidae) is described from samples collected by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Marine Scotland Science, in the West Shetland Shelf NCMPA in the NE Atlantic. This species is characterised by a very small body size, thin and slender paleae, twelve thoracic and eleven abdominal uncinigers, presence of eyes both in the prostomium and the pygidium, the latter provided with a pair of long lateral cirri. The external micro-morphology of the new taxon was studied using scanning electron microscopy and compared with species described or reported from the North Atlantic. Two complementary keys to all species of Ampharete in the area are also provided.

Managing human impacts across diverse marine environments

As an island nation, the UK is surrounded by water, spanning from the coast and intertidal, to the circalittoral and deep-sea. Understanding the changing condition and resilience of marine biodiversity within these vastly different water masses is of key importance to understanding both the impacts of, and how to best manage, human activities whilst enabling continued sustainable development. One of the biggest challenges to understanding biodiversity state is the lack of time-series data, particularly in areas where long-term monitoring has not yet been implemented around our offshore (>12nm) and deep-sea waters. To manage this, the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee are further developing spatial mapping proxy methods, gathering data on human activity presence, pressures caused by these activities, and the associated sensitivity of biodiversity to these pressures, to understand key areas of risk. Whilst evidence for these assessments is becoming more widely available for offshore waters, there is a large evidence gap on deep-sea biodiversity sensitivity, and understanding how to manage this little-studied environment. With ongoing pressures from fishing and oil and gas activity, and future threats from deep-sea mining, this is a key area of research which is urgently needed to help develop effective and sustainable management measures.

Managing human impacts across diverse marine environments

As an island nation, the UK is surrounded by water, spanning from the coast and intertidal, to the circalittoral and deep-sea. Understanding the changing condition and resilience of marine biodiversity within these vastly different water masses is of key importance to understanding both the impacts of, and how to best manage, human activities whilst enabling continued sustainable development. One of the biggest challenges to understanding biodiversity state is the lack of time-series data, particularly in areas where long-term monitoring has not yet been implemented around our offshore (>12nm) and deep-sea waters. To manage this, the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee are further developing spatial mapping proxy methods, gathering data on human activity presence, pressures caused by these activities, and the associated sensitivity of biodiversity to these pressures, to understand key areas of risk. Whilst evidence for these assessments is becoming more widely available for offshore waters, there is a large evidence gap on deep-sea biodiversity sensitivity, and understanding how to manage this little-studied environment. With ongoing pressures from fishing and oil and gas activity, and future threats from deep-sea mining, this is a key area of research which is urgently needed to help develop effective and sustainable management measures.

Risk, politics, and science: A new approach to UK marine biodiversity monitoring.

The UK recognises the importance of understanding marine ecosystems and biodiversity to achieve its ambition of ‘clean, healthy, safe and biologically diverse seas’. Yet comprehensive UK marine monitoring presents a considerable challenge in terms of the resources required. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has led the development of an ambitious framework for marine monitoring that will integrate the different components of biodiversity together, and with other marine monitoring. This has required a range of work from novel science to developing monitoring indicators and survey methods. It also seeks efficiency savings through, practical integration of survey time on vessels, and access to new data e.g., satellites. Our approach uses risk to inform resource allocation by utilising human activities data and the interactions with biodiversity to create risk models and determine survey priorities. This is achieved by engaging scientists and policy makers to develop monitoring options for different biodiversity components (i.e., benthic habitats, cetaceans, seals, seabirds, fish, cephalopods and plankton). This process will allow policy makers to successfully conclude on the level of resourcing required for marine monitoring, that reflects the risk to biodiversity and the public’s concerns for the marine environment, and fulfils our national and international legislative obligations.

Risk, politics, and science: A new approach to UK marine biodiversity monitoring.

The UK recognises the importance of understanding marine ecosystems and biodiversity to achieve its ambition of ‘clean, healthy, safe and biologically diverse seas’. Yet comprehensive UK marine monitoring presents a considerable challenge in terms of the resources required. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has led the development of an ambitious framework for marine monitoring that will integrate the different components of biodiversity together, and with other marine monitoring. This has required a range of work from novel science to developing monitoring indicators and survey methods. It also seeks efficiency savings through, practical integration of survey time on vessels, and access to new data e.g., satellites. Our approach uses risk to inform resource allocation by utilising human activities data and the interactions with biodiversity to create risk models and determine survey priorities. This is achieved by engaging scientists and policy makers to develop monitoring options for different biodiversity components (i.e., benthic habitats, cetaceans, seals, seabirds, fish, cephalopods and plankton). This process will allow policy makers to successfully conclude on the level of resourcing required for marine monitoring, that reflects the risk to biodiversity and the public’s concerns for the marine environment, and fulfils our national and international legislative obligations.

Risk, politics, and science: A new approach to UK marine biodiversity monitoring.

The UK recognises the importance of understanding marine ecosystems and biodiversity to achieve its ambition of ‘clean, healthy, safe and biologically diverse seas’. Yet comprehensive UK marine monitoring presents a considerable challenge in terms of the resources required. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has led the development of an ambitious framework for marine monitoring that will integrate the different components of biodiversity together, and with other marine monitoring. This has required a range of work from novel science to developing monitoring indicators and survey methods. It also seeks efficiency savings through, practical integration of survey time on vessels, and access to new data e.g., satellites. Our approach uses risk to inform resource allocation by utilising human activities data and the interactions with biodiversity to create risk models and determine survey priorities. This is achieved by engaging scientists and policy makers to develop monitoring options for different biodiversity components (i.e., benthic habitats, cetaceans, seals, seabirds, fish, cephalopods and plankton). This process will allow policy makers to successfully conclude on the level of resourcing required for marine monitoring, that reflects the risk to biodiversity and the public’s concerns for the marine environment, and fulfils our national and international legislative obligations.

Cetacean behavioral responses to noise exposure generated by seismic surveys: how to mitigate better?

<p>Cetaceans use sound in many contexts, such as in social interactions, as well as to forage and to react in dangerous situations. Little information exists to describe how they respond physically and behaviorally to intense and long-term noise levels. Effects on cetaceans from seismic survey activities need to be understood in order to determine detailed acoustic exposure guidelines and to apply appropriated mitigation measures. This study examines direct behavioral responses of cetaceans in the southern Mediterranean Sea during seismic surveys with large airgun arrays (volume up to 5200 ci) used in the TOMO-ETNA active seismic experiment of summer 2014. Wide Angle Seismic and Multi-Channel Seismic surveys had carried out with refraction and reflection seismic methods, producing about 25,800 air-gun shots. Visual monitoring undertaken in the 26 daylights of seismic exploration adopted the protocol of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Data recorded were analyzed to examine effects on cetaceans. Sighting rates, distance and orientation from the airguns were compared for different volume categories of the airgun arrays. Results show that cetaceans can be disturbed by seismic survey activities, especially during particularly events. Here we propose many integrated actions to further mitigate this exposure and implications for management.</p>